Everything You Need to Know About External Hard Drive Overheating

Does your external hard drive get hot? Many people have experienced an overheating external hard drive, especially while gaming. Anything over 50 degrees Celsius is too hot for a hard drive. Keeping your external hard drive at a normal operating temperature is essential for protecting your data. If it overheats, you could lose or damage your files.

This article delves into the issue of external hard drives overheating and offers solutions on how to keep them cool. Read on for more information, and hopefully, it proves helpful to you.

**Read Also:** [External Hard Drive Temperature Range](/computer-instruction/external-hard-drive-temperature-range.html)

What happens if an external hard drive gets hot?

A hard drive that is kept at a reasonable temperature will operate more smoothly, quickly, and last longer. However, if your external hard drive is getting hot, you may experience:

• Unable to Open Files - This is one of the most common issues you'll encounter when an external hard drive overheats.
• Slow Performance - Overheating can slow down your hard drive, meaning that the platter rotation speed decreases.
• Error Messages for Bad Sectors - Bad sectors occur due to mechanical damage on the external hard drive, which might be caused by overheating.
• Strange Noises - A whining or unusual sound from the hard drive indicates that it's not functioning correctly and may fail soon.
• Louder and/or Longer Running Fan - When the fan runs for extended periods or at higher volumes, it's a clear sign that the hard drive is heating up to maintain performance and temperature.
• Data Corruption or Loss - Overheating issues can lead to data loss on your hard drive.
• Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) - All Windows users are familiar with the notorious "blue screen of death" error. This means your Windows operating system has stopped working, and you may need to run diagnostics or even reinstall the OS.

Does an external hard drive overheat? Absolutely, and we've discussed the effects of a hot hard drive. In this article, we'll show you how to tell if your external hard drive is overheating. This guide applies to your WD, Seagate, or SanDisk external hard drive.

# How to Tell If an External Hard Drive Is Overheating

Now that you know the problems that can be caused by an external hard drive overheating, here are some quick and effective solutions. The easiest of these methods is to use a software called tools Partition Master, which you can download from this link.

This driver management application helps keep your hard drive running smoothly and monitors its health to protect your data. So, try the following solutions to fix the overheating issue with your hard drive.

Method 1: Check the External Hard Drive's Temperature

A temperature scan allows you to check if the external hard drive temperature is normal, thus ensuring the hard drive runs perfectly without errors. To run this scan, use the “Check Disk Health” utility in the Partition Master application to check hard drive temperature. Follow these steps to manage your hard drive temperature effortlessly and quickly:

Step 1. Run MiniTool Partition Wizard and click the blue arrow to activate the “Disk Health” feature in the “Discover” section.

Step 2: Select the target disk and click "Refresh". Then, you can see the status of the hard drive.

Select the target disk

As you can see, the Tool Partition Master helps you know more about your disk status. When you check hard drive health, you will get not only temperature data but also a performance score of the hard drive. If you like this tool, please share it with others by clicking the buttons below.

Method 2: Check for Bad Sectors on the External Hard Drive

A "bad sectors" scan checks for spots where the computer may be having trouble loading files, thus causing more heat. This means that your hard drive will run slower, and load or seek times will be increased.

However, you can use the "Disk Surface Test" feature in a partition manager to scan for "bad sectors" on an external hard drive. Here's how:

Step 2: The operation will be performed immediately and all bad sectors will be marked in red.

For some minor errors, Partition Master can fix them. It is a powerful all-in-one disk partition tool. If you have any partition errors, you can turn to it.

Watch the video for more information and to monitor your hard drive's health:

How to Solve Overheating Issues with an External Hard Drive & Keep It Cool

When the temperature is too high, Partition Master will warn you. With professional temperature monitoring tools, you can keep an eye on the temperature of your external hard drive all the time. What should I do if my external hard drive is overheating? Here we list some important tips to keep your hard drive cool:

- Improve air circulation: Place your computer in an area where you have room to move around. - Clean the vents: Dust can block airflow and hinder the fans' ability to cool the components. - Upgrade the cooling system: Install more powerful fans or a liquid cooling system. - Mind your usage habits: Avoid running multiple programs and files simultaneously.

There are several ways you can lower a hard drive's temperature. If your external hard drive is overheating, you can also try unloading some of the strain on it or removing malware to cool it down. You can click below for a detailed guide on fixing an overheated hard drive.

Conclusion

That's it for this article. Hopefully, the solutions above will help you fix an overheating external hard drive and keep your data safe. Also, you're now aware of all the problems a hot hard drive can cause you.

I highly recommend using Partition Wizard. You can download it from the link above and use it to manage your external drive and keep it in optimal condition. The application also allows you to monitor all activities on the hard drive, so you won't have to worry about overheating issues.

Frequently Asked Questions about External Hard Drive Heat Issues

Though we've covered all the bases, you might still have some questions. If you're curious about external hard drive heat, check out this FAQ.

There can be several reasons why your external hard drive is overheating. However, here are the most common causes:

• Airflow restriction
• Fan failure
• Dust blocking vents
• Overpower consumption
• Operating system causing additional load and performance lag
• Too many file transfers
• Near-full storage capacity

All of the above can contribute to external hard drive failure and overheating issues. That's why it's important to take care of your external hard drive and perform regular health checks to ensure your data is safe. Additionally, backing up your data can prevent headaches in case your external hard drive fails unexpectedly.

Is it normal for an external hard drive to get hot?

External hard drives do get warm while in use, but if it feels too hot to the touch, then it might be overheating. Most external hard drives are designed to run without issue around the clock. Some higher-end models even have small fans to help with heat dissipation.

That said, you should still ensure that the drive's vents aren't accidentally covered, which could cause overheating issues. Also, give the drive a break now and then, since constant use can wear it out faster.

How hot should an external hard drive get?

The standard operating temperature range for an external hard drive is 0°C (32°F) to 60°C (140°F). Most hard drive manufacturers recommend staying within this range. However, you should run checks to confirm that your hard drive is running normally and not overheating.

To do this, download the tool Partition Master and use its “Check Disk Health” feature to manage your external hard drive. The application also offers other benefits, allowing you to monitor the health of your HDD without impacting its performance. Additionally, it lets you format and fix errors with a single click.

4. Do I need a fan in my external hard drive?

External drives can overheat when running multiple programs or playing games. Whether or not your hard drive needs a fan depends on its model and design. Some enclosures designed specifically to cool the drive do not require a fan. If your drive runs hot, it will need a fan. Enclosures with fans will help dissipate more heat and prolong the life of your drive.